"Flight To Atlantica"
"Flight To Atlantica" is the 30th episode of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 30 April 1968 on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Leo Eaton. In this episode, when the Mysterons threaten to destroy the World Navy Complex at Atlantica, Captains Blue and Ochre take over an operation to bomb a wreck. Meanwhile, on Cloudbase, personnel inexplicably take leave of their senses. Plot On 7 July, Cloudbase personnel are celebrating the first anniversary of the Spectrum Organisation, but their unauthorised champagne party is quickly dispersed by an indignant Colonel White, who reminds them all that "Drinking on duty is a most serious offence!" The Mysterons issue a threat to eliminate Atlantica, a World Navy base situated on the ocean floor, even though Atlantica is formidably defended by surface-to-air missile bunkers and patrol submarines. In light of the Mysteron threat, Spectrum is assuming control of an operation to bomb and disperse a wreck which currents are pushing towards Atlantica. Captains Blue and Ochre are permitted to take off from Maxwell Field in a V17 Air Force bomber in spite of uncharacteristically absent-minded conduct during their briefing. However, the officers have been so unattentive that Captain Black has been able to switch their flight papers with alternative instructions before their eyes. Meanwhile, Cloudbase personnel fall into a similar dream-like state until only Captain Scarlet and Colonel White remain in control of their actions. They realise that all those who have been affected were those who were drinking at the anniversary celebration; Colonel White had not attended, indeed having dispersed the party, and Captain Blue had accidentally caused Captain Scarlet to drop his glass, smashing it. An analysis of the champagne which Captain Scarlet himself conducts, Dr. Fawn being asleep in the sickbay, confirms that it has been tainted with a very small quantity of a compound used in pest control, which induces amnesia and irresponsibility--the Mysterons had used their influence to drug the champagne with it, leaving everybody high as a result. Complying with their new orders, the vacant Captains Blue and Ochre cross into the restricted airspace over Atlantica and bomb the Defence System Control Tower, creating havoc with the missiles. Alerted by Commander Williams at Maxwell Field, Captain Scarlet and Colonel White intercept the V17 in a Spectrum Jet and cripple it with an air-to-air missile before Captain Blue and Captain Ochre can drop the second bomb onto Atlantica itself. Captain Blue and Captain Ochre ultimately come to their senses, at least partially, and eject just before the V17 plunges into the sea and explodes on the ocean floor. Although the Mysterons have had a partial success, there is a reason for celebration on Cloudbase on 10 July, since this marks the true first anniversary of the Spectrum Organisation! Captain Scarlet had been too impetuous in staging the party; although Spectrum's charter was drawn up on 7''' July the previous year, the World President actually ''SIGNED'' the document ''three days later,'' on ''10'' July.' To celebrate, Colonel White orders some real champagne for everybody, and--to Captain Scarlet's happiness--the bottles have been personalized with the Spectrum roundel logo, and the name "Captain Scarlet," on the labels. Production This episode is one of two (the other being "Attack on Cloudbase") to include all the regular puppet cast, although some characters do not have speaking parts. Reception An article published in ''Thunderbirds-related fanzine NTBS News Flash interprets a number of connections to the Thunderbirds episode "The Cham-Cham". Such connections include Captain Blue and Ochre's selection of "Dangerous Game" as in-flight music, the tune that "the RLT-2 crew were listening to just after take off." Blue takes off from "exactly the same airfield as the RTL-2" and is also flying the same type of aircraft. Consequently, it is suggested that both Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet "are set in the same timeframe?" Other examples can be seen in "The Mysterons", which features the Martian Exploration Vehicle that appeared in the 1966 Thunderbirds film, Thunderbirds Are Go. Quotes * Captain Ochre - "We have a green light! Yippeee!" * Colonel White - "Drinking on duty is a most serious offence!" * Captain Blue - "What a bang! Can we do that again?" ** (later) - "I think it's time to get out of here." Category:Original Captain Scarlet Episodes Category:Episodes without retro-metabolisms